


Gerald's Final Moment

by MysticBooka



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game)
Genre: Memories, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:14:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27123685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticBooka/pseuds/MysticBooka
Summary: A man lies close to death.  Images from his childhood begin filling his mind
Kudos: 2





	Gerald's Final Moment

The man awoke to the sensation of damp grass dragging across his face and found himself staring at the forest canopy. A canopy that was currently moving. His breath was labored, and pain wrecked throughout his body as he felt something dragging him. Gerald's arms wouldn't budge, so he lifted his head to see a lumbering, bear-like beast dragging him by his leg. His other leg was entirely gone. The beast's long neck curved around to greet him with piercing eyes. Without warning, the creature opened its razor-sharp beak and shrieked at it's latest victim before turning back to its intended path. 

Gerald let his head fall back as it continued to drag him. He had picked a fight with the wrong creature for the last time. He was alone, and with both arms broken on top of a missing leg, he knew he wasn't escaping his fate. His only hope was to bleed out before the beast grew hungry. 

As he closed his eyes and his head grew foggy, he saw himself sitting at a table with a girl his age. The girl was in tears, begging him to stay, yet he pushed her away as he planted one foot on the table and held his tankard high in the air.  
"Oh Gwen, my sweet Gwen, you know I love you, but the call of adventure is too great! I must escape this little farm and fight in glorious battles and discover treasure beyond our wildest dreams." 

Despite her tears, her eyes narrowed, and, with a frown, she leaped up, slamming her fists onto the table.  
"Damnit Gerald, you're too incompetent for all that nonsense. You'll find yourself at the end of a bandit's blade or in the belly of a beast before you find glory." Gwen sat back down in her chair with her hand over her forehead as she dragged out his name "Gerald, you can barely even use farm tools, much less wield a sword. Damnit all, why did that knight have to stop in our village." 

Gerald leaped off the table and wrapped his arms around Gwen, pulling her to him as she tried to push him away. "Oh Gwen, my sweet love, you may look scary with those tusks of yours, but you sure do have a big heart." Once she stopped struggling, he held her with one arm as he tossed his other arm out. "I promise you this, if I die, it will be to the claws of a dragon or the magic of an evil lich." He then turned her towards him and flashed her a big smile. "But don't worry, I won't die. I'll return with more treasure than you could ever imagine."

Gwen looked him in the eyes then, with a swift punch to the stomach, sent Gerald doubling over, clutching his stomach as he coughed for breath. "Idiot, go to the city and join the guard first before you even think about adventuring." As she looked down at the now fallen Gerald, she couldn't help but smile as he weakly gave her a thumbs up.

Gerald opened his eyes again; his breathing had slowed as the beast continued dragging him to its lair. He had left five years ago and joined the city militia, as Gwen had suggested. Though Gerald learned a lot over his time in the guard, patrolling the streets or guarding a door is all that ever happened. He never saw any real action.

One day though, he had been sitting in a local pub enjoying a drink after an insistently dull patrol when a crying child entered, holding a wanted poster for The Shrieking Bear. He had heard rumors within the guard of a beast attacking local farmers, but he also knew they weren't going to resolve the issue. Taking this as a sign, he turned in his badge and left the city to slay this beast. 

Now, here he was, his first quest as a true adventurer in need, and his fate was nothing more than a meal for this damnable beast. The creature stopped as it glanced over at a bush near Gerald that had grabbed its attention. He, however, hadn't noticed as his eyes filled with tears.  
"Gwen, I'm sorry."

\--The End--

**Author's Note:**

> This was my entry for a September writing contest. I didn't win but it was fun writing.


End file.
